Door-spring.



No'. 684,742. Patented Oct. 15, I90]. I]. W. BRUMLEY.

000R SPRING.

Application filed July 30, 1900.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES I JNVENTOR.

v QM wfim 4 BY UNITED STATES PATENT rricn,

DANIEL W. BROMLEY, OF l/VILMORE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO HUGH V. HARRY, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, AND WILLIAM BRADFORD AND CHARLES BRADFORD, OF FLORENCE, KENTUCKY.

DOOR-SPRING.

srnoirrcnrrori forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,742, dated October 15, 1901' Application filed July 30, 1900. Serial N= (N0 11106619 T0 'aZZ 'whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL W. BROMLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the town of Wilmore, in the county of Jessamine and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door- Springs, of which the following is a specification.

The several features of my invention and the various advantages resulting from their use, conjointly or otherwise, will be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, making a part of this application, and in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents in perspective the top end near side of a door-spring embodying my invention and attached to the top of a door and in operation, the top portion of the door and of the adjacent door-frame being shown in outline. Fig. 2 indicates a central vertical section of the door-spring. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the foundation-plate and of the spring-ratchet. Fig. 4 indicates a plan view of the spring and the cylindrical casing which contains it. Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of the means for connecting the ends of the spring to the central arbor or sleeve and to the casing.

I will now proceed to describe my invention in detail.

A indicates a supporting-frame having a tabular surface A and vertical sides A and vertical front end A. The sides A are preferably cut away from front to rear, and any vertical rear end flange is altogether omitted. Through the front vertical flange A are two or more perforations Aithrough which screws can be passed for suitably securing the frame A to the door or other object to which the door-spring is to be attached. It will be observed that this construction of the frame imparts not only strength for supporting the spring above against the strain brought to bear thereon, but also on account of its open form conveniently allows a screw-driver to be inserted at the rear to screw the screws at A into position. Over this platform A and rotatable thereon is a short hollow cylinder B, which performs the function of a box for its contents and the office of a pulley as to its periphery for the cord to be wrapped around it. This cylinder B is concentric with i the platform A Through the platform A and the cylinder B passes a bolt 0, having a head C an angulated portion C and around portion C provided with a screw-thread 0 which extends to the free end of the bolt. The angulated portion C fits into a correspondingly shaped close fitting angulated opening in the platform A The screwthreaded end of the bolt passes up and through the upper end of the cylinder 13 and is secured in position by means of a washer C, resting on the top B of the cylinder B, and a nut C engaging the free end of the bolt C and screwed down upon the washer C The washer 0 gives the cylinder 13 an opportunity to turn without moving the nut 0 On the round portion of the bolt is located a sleeve D, suitably connected to a spiral spring E, which winds around the sleeve. A preferred mode of uniting them together consists in forming in the sleeve D a notch or slot D substantially as shown, and the end E of the spring being bent inward and backward in the form of an angulated hook is introduced into the slot and is thereby securely held in place. The other end of the spring is suitably secured to the cylinder B, preferably as shown-to wit, the outer end of the spring is provided with a hook E engaging hook F, having shoulder F and end portion F which latter is close to the cylinder B.

A bolt or pin G extends through the vertical walls of the cylinder B and through the portion F of hook F and is made to secure the latter firmly to the inner wall of the cyl inder. The outer end of this pin is provided with a hook G arranged to receive the cord 11, which is to be wound upon the cylinder B and form the connection between this spring device and the upper walls of the door-frame or other stationary piece to which it is to be attached. The spring G2 affords a convenient means of attaching a looped end of the cord H. I find it desirable to provide my spring with means whereby it-s tension may be increased or diminished, according to the Weight of the door to be closed or the distance the door is to travel, 850. 7 To effectuate this object, I provide a disk K, located under the cylinder B and provided with a ratchet K arranged to engage a suitable spring-pawl. One form J of such springpawl is shown, and consists of a piece of spring metal located on the platform A. and extending out substantially as shown between the platform and the teeth K of the disk K and pressing upward against the ratchet. The free end of this spring extends out beyond the teeth K affording an opportunity to depress the same by means of the thumb or finger. The preferred means of attaching the pawl in position so as to prevent its rotation is as follows: The pawl J has an opening J which closely fits around the bolt 0. The inner end of the pawl J is riveted at J to the platform A. The sleeve D, to which the inner end of the spring is attached, is fixed or integral with the disk K. In order to enable the disk K, sleeve D, and the coiled spring E to rotate readily above the platform A and around the bolt 0, a large washer or elevated piece can be placed between the spring-pawl Jand the coiled spring E. Such an elevatingpiece is more readily and economically provided by means of the raised or struck-up discal portion M, located on the platform A. This raised central portion M preferably extends over the pawl J and is cut away at its under side, so as to allow it to elsewhere rest upon the platform A while the spring-pawl J fits into the parts cut away. This disk M has an angul'ated central opening which receives an angulated portion 0 of the bolt 0 and fits closely thereto.

The mode in which my device operates is substantially as follows: The frame at A being screwed or otherwise firmly secured to the door,- one end of the cord H is connected to the hook (l and wound around the cylinder B a sufficient number of times to allow the door to 'move the required distance without injuring the coiled spring E and without breaking the cord from the cylinder B or from an eye R, to which the other end of the cord is attached. When it is desired to cause the door to shut, this eye is fastened on the door-frame in a convenientposition to enable the spring to act freely and the cord to wind the spring properly as the door is opened. The opening of the door unwinds the cord H from the band ordrum B and winds the spring upon the sleeve 0, and thereby increases its tension or power, and when the door is released and free to close the reaction of the spring will turn the band in the opposite direction and wind the cord upon the same, thereby causing the door to close. In case it is desired to cause the spring to open the door the spring-eye or equivalent connection is located on the wall or other suitable place, so as to strain the cord in an opp'ositedirection from that in which it would be strained to shut the door. Then as the door is closed such action will operate to wind up the spring. When the door is free to open, the spring will wind up the cord and open the door. Should the coiled spring E be too strong, the pawl J may be depressed and disengaged from the teeth K and moved backward, so that the coils of the spring may bedecreased; but if the tension of the spring is to be increased the pawl is moved forward, thereby winding up the spring after the manner of a clock-spring, the pawl J catching into each tooth as it passes it and engaging the same when allowed to do so.

Of the device which I have invented the platform A, cylinder, spring-pawl, rotatable discal plate F, its raised portion M, frame A, and hook F can all be made out of fiat material struck up by means of dies in a very economical and rapid way. My invention is therefore economical of manufacture. The parts can be readily and quickly assembled. The device is simple of constructionand very effective in operation. It is also-convenient of operation.

When desired, the inodeof'connecting the spring to the central sleeve D- or its eq uiva lent may be modified, a modification being thepin D with enlarged head Qsee Fig. 5? an ranged to be received into a slot (not shown, but easily understood),- in the inner endof the spring.

The mode of connecting the spring to the cylinder or casing B, modified, consists in omitting the hook F and utilizing the inner end of the pin G by giving it extension and an enlarged head Gri adapted to be received into a slot (not shown, but understood) in the outer end ofthe spring.

What I claim as new and of my invention,- and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a door-spring, the combination of the supporting-frame, spring-pawl, cylinder B, an intervening rotatable disk K, provided with a ratchet for engaging the spring-pawl, bolt 0 extending through the cylinder B and fixed in the frame A so as to be non-rotatable in the latter, coiled spring E at the inner end fixed to a central portion of the device, connected to the rotatable disk K so as to rotate therewith in setting the tension of the spring, and having its outer end fixed to the inner side of the cylinder, and a cord H adapted to be attached to the outer side thereof and to a door, whereby the cord may be wound thereon as the door is closed by the reaction of the spring, substantially as and for the purposes Specified.

2. In a door-spring, the combinationof the supportingeframe, cylinder B, spring-pawl J fixed to the frame, an intervening rotatable disk K, carrying a ratchet for engaging this pawl, bolt 0 extending through the cylinder B and fixed in the frame A so as to be nonrotatable in the latter, collar or sleeve D rotatable on the bolt and fixed to the disk K and having slot D and coiled spring E having the bent or hooked end E' inserted in the slot D having its other end connected to the interior of the hollow cylinder B, a cord, and

means connected to the cylinder for attaching the cord to the cylinder and having it wound thereon, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a door-spring, the combination of the supporting-frame,cylinder B, springpawl, an intervening rotatable disk K, provided with a ratchet, to connect with the spring-pawl, bolt 0 extending through the cylinder B and fixed in the frame A so as to be non-rotatable in the latter, collar or sleeve D rotatable on the bolt, and connected to disk K and having slot D and coiled spring E, having its outer end provided with a hook E and a hook F for engaging the hook E of the coiled spring, the hook F being connected to the interior of the cylinder B, and means for operatively connecting the rotary cylinder B with a door, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In a door-spring device, containing a supporting-frame, a cord, ahollow cylinder on said frame, a coiled spring within the cylinder connected at its inner end to a rotary central portion of the device, and having its free end provided with a hook, also a hook F for engaging the exterior hook of the spring, and

a pin G extending through the cylinder, and at its inner end holding the hooked end in place, and at its outer end provided with a 0 hook G for the attachment of the cord whereby the spring device may be operated, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In combination with a supporting-platform, a cord, cylinder B, rotatable disk K be 35 tween the dit'sifigand the platform and having a ratchet on its edge nearest the platform, all of these portions being concentric, a coiled spring located in the cylinder and attached to the central portion of the mechano ism connected to disk K, and its outer free end connected to the rotatable cylinder 13, the platform being provided with a raised central portion M having a depression M a spring-pawl J received in the discal portion or 45 DANIEL W. BROMLEY.

Attest:

WM. SALMON J OHNS, K. SMITH. 

